Brummet's Conscious Blog

-- Quote of the Day -- “ I am appalled at the amount of waste in these department stores I’ve seen what they throw out. I understand they cannot re-sell it for many reasons, but they should be donating it to someone who can use it – like Clothes2U.ca – For instance, they might have an open package of something like diapers, or underwear …or one of the items is missing from a package and into the garbage it goes. It just shouldn’t be. …[When stores donate their items to non-profit organizations] it helps them get rid of un-sellable merchandise, cuts down on their waste, gives them a green alternative to landfill [contributions] and provides them with an opportunity to help the less fortunate .” ~ Ernie Janzen (April 15, 2010) Today's quote comes from a Conscious Discussions Talk Radio interview that aired back on April 15th with the founder of the Clothes2U Organization . Check out the archived interview at your convenience by clicking on the hyper-links above, or visit the ...

-- Quote of the Day --   " Risk!  Care no more for the opinions of others.  Do the hardest thing on earth for you.  Act for yourself ."  ~ Katherine Mansfield -- Conscious Discussions Radio -- World of Writing segments air regularly on the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show, since literacy plays such a huge role in a conscious world. Today we will learn how to write an effective query and an attention-getting book proposal, with author Jonathan Maxwell. His first book, Murderous Intellectuals: German Elites and the Nazi SS , was released in November 2009. Since its release, it has garnered much critical acclaim. The book explores why so many well-educated professionals joined the Nazi SS, the notorious group that spearheaded the Holocaust. You can hear a little excerpt of this book on Authors Read radio ( blogtalkradio.com/authorsread ) April 2 nd episode.  Access the discussion via the links above - Live show a...

-- Quote of the Day -- “The call to change began as most transformations do; a subtle form with no discernible texture, a microscopic breeze that signals a change in wind direction, a little voice speaking in tongues – that we either trust without knowing why, or ignore at our own peril.” ~ Jeff Brown, author of: Soul Shaping -- Green Building -- Green building is catching on and since today’s construction standards has buildings life cycle lasting 100 years – the need to build more efficiently just makes sense. This is why such programs as LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ) exist. The public sector is very much aware of the benefits of owning a green home and real estate reflects this trend with a 9% increase in estate values. Some options that are really neat for people to consider are Solar Hot Water systems which can provide, according to Michael Jessen’s article “Global Warming Doing the Right Thing”, 30% of a home’s hot water needs. Geothermal heating... thi...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…Advertising is very invasive in our lives right now it is getting harder to discern between news and advertising – it takes time to sort out what is new information and when we are being sold. And this creates a sense of discontentment with our lives… and if we are not aware of the influence of this we can be caught up in it. Such as being identified by brand… and we are working too hard to keep up with the things that identify us in this world. …The stress that this creates is overwhelming - to feel like you are not enough. …I have clients that I’ve asked to go on a magazine fast – when they stop looking at the things that are larger than life, better than anything could be because it is produced, then they begin to feel OK about where they are and their identity becomes about WHO they are. …When we get a sense of things are not OK is to …go and buy stuff because we are not connected to our own psychological strength, so that we can be more discerning about wh...

-- Prize Winners -- & New Prize Draw -- Congratulations to Judy & Kathy who are the winners of last week's prize draw for Rick Glaze's novel: Middle Fork - &- Dawn Menge's children's book: Queen Vernita's Visitors . This week we have the following prizes available: * Email me at: ldbrummet@yahoo.com with the word "prize" in the subject line for a chance to win one (or more) of these prizes: Self-help book by Kim Barnes: Construct Your Conversations: Strengthening Relationships - & - Shelley Seal, book: The Weight of Silence , about the plight for children in India Find Dave & Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows & free resources & articles at www.brummet.ca

-- Quote of the Day -- “ Our 60 years of research show that organic farming is the single most significant and immediate step we can take to curtail the potentially devastating effects of global warming. ” ~ Timothy LaSalle, CEO of The Rodale Institute -- a non-profit scientific organization for soil & agriculture. -- Eco-Resource -- GreenPeople is helping to grow our green economy by making it easy for consumers to purchase eco-friendly goods and services. Check out our listing in GreenPeople at: http://www.greenpeople.org/listing/Drumit_Percussion_23502.cfm -- Eco-Events -- June 23-24 (Tuesday & Wednesday): 5th Annual Expanding Asia's Carbon Markets Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23-24 June 2009 "...bring together leading international players to examine barriers and opportunities ...learn and do business, driving growth in developing markets." For info email: Laila.Manji@greenpowerconferences.com June 24-26 (Wednesday - Friday): Electronics ...

-- Conscious Discussions -- Today’s guest has a lot of information to share… Brook Kelley has been a professional writer/researcher for 8 years, 4 years as an editor for magazines and books, 15 years of photography work with prestigious magazines as Elle Girl and Glamour. In her 10 years experience as a speaker she focuses on inspiring and motivating others to make a difference in the world. We are going to talk about all of this, and a wonderful organization that fights injustice on human rights across the planet – known as the Unify Organization. Tune in by clicking on the hyper-linked show title here or look to the right for a link to the Conscious Discussions talk radio show. -- Announcement -- Check out the interview with the Brummets via the Author Interviews link at: www.mcolesworks.webs.com/thewritecorner.htm -- Prize Contest!! -- You may recall that we’ve been putting out announcements for prizes every week on Conscious Discussions. Well, as promised we are starting off with...

-- Quote of the Day -- "Every walk to the woods is a religious rite, every bath in the stream is a saving ordinance. Communion service is at all hours, and the bread and wine are from the heart and marrow of Mother Earth." ~ John Burroughs -- Conscious Discussions -- An award-winning, nationally published journalist, Daniel P. Smith left his career as a high school teacher behind in 2004 to pursue the writing life. Less than five months removed from the classroom and 23 years old, Smith teamed with Lake Claremont Press to pen On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department, his first book and one inspired by his roots in a Chicago Police family. On top of all of this Daniel is also a noted speaker and is presently working with photographer and fellow Chicagoan Brian Palm to share the stories and images of Chicago's fading buildings. Daniel also serves on the Chicago Writer Association's board of directors. It was a sincere pleasure listening to all the...

-- Quote of the Day -- "To cherish what remains of the Earth & to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival." ~ Wendell Berry -- Brummet's Conscious Discussions Blog wins Award -- I am proud to announce that our blog has been given the PREMIO DARDOS Award by the Memosaic team - http://memosaic.blogspot.com in Feb, 2009. I just found out about this award! The Premio Dardos Award is given “ in recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing .” -- Eco - News -- The information & topic below originated from a very interesting discussion through the San Diego Zero Waste Group that I am a member of: Although toilet tissue can be made at similar cost from recycled material, it is the fiber taken from standing trees that help give it that plush feel, because the longer fibers allow manufacturers to create that fluffy, plush feel. Unfortunately, they also feel consumers desire a brig...

-- Conscious Discussions -- Jim Greenwood, a former journalist, pilot and aviation executive, has held top management positions in the federal government, as well as in the aircraft manufacturing and operating industries. Jim is an award-winning author, with four books and numerous magazine articles, mostly on aviation topics. Today we are discussing Jim’s experience caring for his wife for the 13 years that she endured Alzheimer's disease. Learn practical, useful advice on how to provide care for anyone suffering from dementia. To access today's interview click on the hyperlinked show title or click on the link located on your right for the Conscious Discussions talk radio show. --Eco-Resource-- One of our former featured guests on CD contacted me to share information about a wonderful site he is a part of: Change.org… this is a social activist network where you can learn about causes, connect to like-minded people and nonprofit organizations and learn how to take proactive a...

-- Authors Read -- Ty Schwamberger and I originally met on a writer’s forum where he sent a brief query our way regarding his horror novel - Night School. According to his website, he has enjoyed writing, reading and watching scary tales since childhood. He currently resides in Ohio with his wife and daughter. To hear today's featured author on the Authors Read radio show simply click on the hyper-linked show title here in the blog or click on the link for the program located on the right of this blog. -- Quote of the Day -- "In the past 3 years (1991-94) 950 varieties of vegetables have become extinct and of the survivors 74% - or almost 4,000 varieties - are endangered." ~ Ann Rodes article: 'The Seed Savers', Canadian Gardening Magazine As individual back yard gardeners we can choose to order from seed suppliers that focus on rare or endangered varieties - or at least those that are open-pollinated. Heritage and Heirloom seed organizations exist for each count...

-- Conscious Discussions Radio-- Today's guest on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show was Nancy Fulton - writer, director and producer for NO BETTER FRIEND. With more than twenty years experience as a professional writer, publisher and filmmaker she has managed many teams of creative professionals facing hard deadlines, and has repeatedly demonstrated the technical and creative skills required to deliver projects on time and under budget. In December 2005, Nancy released the grass roots documentary BACK FROM IRAQ: The US Soldier Speaks, and three related one hour documentaries about soldiers. Those products are now available through Amazon. Her previous experience involved working with major publications & writing companies. The discussion today evolved around the transition from writing to film. We learned about the keys to a good film (know the story and the focus, know the audience, packaging) and looking at contracts for limited theatrical release or DVD distributors...

-- Holiday Activities Involving Reuse -- Save all of the cards you receive on awareness days, holidays, birthdays, valentines days and get well cards; the ones you receive, the ones you've made an error in and don't want to send ... they are all useful. Gather the family around your table and get them to make puzzles or fridge magnets for their young friends, class mates or loved ones. These can also make wonderful projects to create gifts for senior's centers, women's centers, children's centers or classes and to support centers for the poor. First - sort the cards into themes and then sort them from large to small in size. Puzzles are easily created by gluing 2 cards together so that there is a picture on either side. place the cards under a weight like a large book to make sure the 2 cards have a good solid seal. Once the glue has cured, cut the cards into puzzle pieces of a variety of shapes and sizes. To make fridge magnets simply choose interesting images, ...

Dec 2 – Together We Can Change The World Day An amazing day of awareness - each and every single person has a value; a real and measurable impact on the world happens with each action we take on a daily basis. This is what Dave and I focus on in all of our work; our blog, newsletter, 3 books & 2 radio shows... they are all about focusing on inspiring change by showing people they do have value, they can make a difference. Today, Dec 3 – International Day of Disabled Persons I want to really embrace this day of awareness here on our blog. Incidentally we are currently setting up a date for an interview with an amazing organization that works with "waste" to create valuable, reusable products while creating jobs for disabled and mentally challenged individuals. Until we solidify all the arrangements with the director of this organization regarding this interview on Conscious Discussions , I'd like to pass on their site to you today: www.renovos.com Find Dave & Lill...

-- Conscious Discussions Radio -- Stephen Edwards was our featured guest of the day - Edwards holds a doctorate in spiritual counseling from the University of Metaphysics. He is the founder of Stephen Edwards Enterprises, which focuses on helping people recognize the ideas and beliefs systems that are preventing them from expressing who they really are and experiencing a miraculous life. He has been a guest speaker to more than 2,000 companies and to audiences exceeding 5,000 across the country. Stephen has also recently released a book entitled: “Communion-cating”. Our discussion today on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show revolved around his experiences with using writing & music in counseling, his life as a writer & some of the behind the scenes activities involved in being a guest speaker. To access the archived interview simply click on the hyper-linked show title here in the blog or look to the right of this page to find a link for the Conscious Discussions talk ...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…You can write for a vast audience, or a smaller audience – but you can also write for yourself. You can write to process things. I’m into journaling because I know that journaling works. And it is an interesting thing about journaling because you start off by processing your life, your experiences, what is going on today because it is stewing in your mind, what went on yesterday… and pretty soon you start to discover themes and you discover material for essays, a memoir or a novel. …I was a caregiver for my mother – like many caregivers my world closed down. I stopped working; I stopped seeing people… I was there every day and always available by phone. And journaling was where I processed this. …Your immune system is strengthened if you write for 15-20 minutes a day about things that are deeply upsetting to you. And caregivers experience things that are deeply upsetting as they discover how powerless they are. So it is very valid just for that alone. It also a...

-- Conscious Discussions -- We often see news reports and specials in other media for the success stories, or demands and stresses for Doctors, hospitals and Nurses – but we rarely see support and celebration of the amazing individuals involved in the field of paramedics. Today on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show we had that opportunity… I had a wonderful discussion with Morgan Lawrence - his tribute to paramedics is unique and we had the opportunity to find out more about the impact saving or losing lives has on the paramedic, the legacy these workers leave behind, acts of kindness and relationships gained or lost in this career. This is an insiders, behind the scenes in-depth interview into the life of the paramedic. Today’s guest is author Morgan Lawrence – his book – the Streets Ran Red – was also discussed. Find this interview by clicking on the hyperlinked show title here in the blog, click on the link for the Conscious Discussions show on the right side of this site...

-- Quote of the Day -- “(re: Making Peace Conference) I do remember that they were really interested in getting a youth organizer …so at the age of 16 I was given a lot of responsibility and freedom and got to set up a bunch of workshops for this conference. …this was a really interesting event because there is a big problem of racism …and this event culminated on a round dance with people of all different backgrounds and cultures …and I remember thinking that this just didn’t happen. …I think that people, even nonpolitical people, if you ask them what some of the pivotal moments in their lives have been, they’ll usually site a concert or something like that – that inspired them …gave them a sense of what is possible. … (re: We Are Many Festival) …I started to think about how frustrating it is that what makes sense for the individual is destructive for society. As an individual, we cannot clean the bubble of air above our own head; therefore we decide to keep driving and continue to h...

-- Quote of the Day -- “Beyond all the pain and tortures of love, a peaceful harmony rises above.. A song so soothing – yet vengeful alike; a song of such emotion can make it seem all right. When I’m feeling down – either high or out of control, I hide deep inside the songs and the music feeds my soul.” ~ Lillian Brummet – Towards Understanding -- Conscious Discussions -- Wendy Victor joined me today on Conscious Discussions talk radio to discuss her insights into seeking the inner voice, learning how to trust and listen to it, and how we can use this to forward our everyday life. Wendy is an educator, historian, preservationist and a certified Feng Shui ( pronounced "fung shwey" professional. In the past, she has also worked as a research associate and as a curator for various museums. Wendy is also the author of “The Luminous Heartbeat,” and we touch on this as well during our discussion. To access todays archived interview simply click on the link for Conscious Discussion...

-- Announcement -- Later today, - Nov 22nd - I'll be interviewed by the host of the Free 2 Live 2 radio ! Here's the details: @ 10:30 AM - (pacific) : Trevor Carter is a UK life Coach and Motivational speaker, with a passion to help disadvantaged individuals to take more control of their lives. Each week, he shares powerful testimonies, motivational sessions and special guests with you. Today's guest is Lillian Brummet - Topic: the business side of writing as a career. Location: www.blogtalkradio.com/free2live2 @ 10:30 AM-Pacific -- Quote of the Day -- Yesterday, I mentioned a quote from one of our guests on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show. In keeping with the interview I'll be taking part of later this morning I'd like to share another quote from that same interview, where we were discussing predators in the publishing industry: “…if you are getting hounded by a sales person and that you are losing if you don’t do something now… or if it sounds too good...